Birth, Breath, and Death: Meditations on Motherhood, Chaplaincy, and Life as a Doula

She transformed into an archetypal birth goddess, evoking primal power and strength. A new human being moved through her body. Between her legs, a new life descended.

she said. While such a practice may seem unorthodox, many midwives I know commonly recommend a glass of wine in early labor. Divya smiled as she raised her glass to toast the occasion. Her magical, full-moon birthing had begun.

Mirroring the pattern of each living breath, we need to inhale and receive care as well as exhale and give fully of our talents. In labor, contractions are followed by time for renewal.

Let us draw strength from birthing women who embody the goddess in her glory. Let us engage with our passions and birth our dreams. Let us meditate on the miracle of our own births. Let us honor the women who, through their very bodies, bestowed on us the gifts of life and life’s companion gift, the mystery of death.

The power to give birth originates in the creative life spirit birthing all, the seen and the unseen.

The juxtaposition of beauty and pain in each birth astounds me. Each story lives in me.

Painful and powerful birth energy moved through her body.

Doulas offer a counterbalance to a medical system that places an inordinate amount of value on gadgets, medicine, and machines. Helpful and often lifesaving equipment need not eclipse the power of compassion.

Rhythm, ritual, and rest not only aid birthing women, but they also support all of us to move skillfully through our life’s labors.